MILAN \u2013 A few weeks ago, standing in the visitors\u2019 dressing room in Buffalo, Juraj Slafkovsk\u00fd was asked about his return to the Olympics, how he could build on his MVP performance and bronze medal for Slovakia from 2022 in Beijing.<\/p>\n
Slafkovsk\u00fd paused, took a breath, and tried to keep expectations under control, knowing the tournament in Milan would be completely different with NHL players.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to show that I\u2019m a leader and lead the guys, lead by example on the ice by playing hard, fight for our country,\u201d Slafkovsk\u00fd said then. \u201cI feel that\u2019s the main thing, to show that I can be that guy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Slafkovsk\u00fd is one game in, and he\u2019s already showing he can be that guy.<\/p>\n
Slafkovsk\u00fd scored the tournament\u2019s opening goal, added another in the third period and assisted on the empty-netter in Slovakia\u2019s upset, tournament-opening 4-1 win against Finland on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
They were his eighth and ninth goals in eight games at the Olympics, but these two felt far more important.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy that it\u2019s like this,\u201d Slafkovsk\u00fd said after the game, \u201cthat I\u2019m able to help my country, help my friends out there that are trying to win the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
After Slafkovsk\u00fd helped ice the game, when he lost his stick with the puck trickling toward Finland\u2019s empty net and attempted twice to kick it before his linemates Tom\u00e1\u0161 Tatar and Adam Ru\u017ei\u010dka finished the job, Slafkovsk\u00fd jumped into Ru\u017ei\u010dka\u2019s arms with an extra dose of his usual enthusiasm.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes even in Montreal I have problems with hitting the net or putting the puck in,\u201d he said. \u201cI was like, \u2018Oh, here we go again, hopefully someone is coming and someone\u2019s going to put it in.\u2019 Yeah, thank God it happened, someone came and we were able to close out the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Slafkovsk\u00fd knows how important this tournament is for his country, and he was happy to provide something for his compatriots in Slovakia and the thousands that were in Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. But more telling than Slafkovsk\u00fd\u2019s comments about himself were his teammates\u2019 comments about him, and what a performance like this might mean for Slovakia not just in the coming weeks, but the coming years.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a great player,\u201d Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Feh\u00e9rv\u00e1ry said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have that type of player for a long, long time in Slovakia. We\u2019ve just got to be really, really happy and thrilled that we\u2019ve got that type of player.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of Slafkovsk\u00fd\u2019s closest friends is New Jersey Devils defenseman \u0160imon Nemec. They grew up as hockey players together, they made Slovak history together when they were the Nos. 1 and 2 picks in the 2022 draft, and they got to enjoy this upset win against Finland together.<\/p>\n
When it was over, Nemec could not have been happier for his good friend.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf your best player is playing his best hockey, then the team is playing great,\u201d he said. \u201cWe know he\u2019s still 21, so he\u2019s not going to do that every night. But if he\u2019s going to do that, then we\u2019ve got a chance to win the game, like we did.\u201d<\/p>\n